Updated below.
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) suggested Wednesday that if he makes it to heaven, he won’t find himself in the company of any gays.
In an interview with the Jefferson Herald, King discussed a preliminary document produced during Catholic bishops’ recent synod that stated gays had “gifts” to offer the Christian community. That historic welcome was utimately scrapped.
King was asked specifically whether he thought divorce or cohabitation were sins. The synod’s preliminary document had called for the church to respect divorced Catholics and stated that in regard to homosexual unions, “it has to be noted that there are cases in which mutual aid to the point of sacrifice constitutes a precious support in the life of the partners.”
“I think that I’ll not comment on that part,” King told the newspaper. “I’ll just say that what was a sin 2,000 years ago is a sin today, and people that were condemned to hell 2,000 years ago, I don’t expect to meet them should I make it to heaven. So let’s stick with that principle.”
The Iowa Republican demurred when the Jefferson Herald pressed him to say whom he included among the “condemned.”
“Let me say it isn’t to me to pass that judgment, and those who choose a lifestyle that I’ll say is not one that’s annointed [sic] and favored by my faith — or their faith, for that matter — that’s between them and God,” he told the newspaper.
Update 5:09 p.m. King addressed the remarks in an interview with Newsmax.
“That’s all false, that’s fabricated,” he said. “I said that’s between them and God. And I said what was a sin 2,000 years ago is a sin today.”
Watch at the 3:30 mark.
